PARIS (Reuters) - France will keep troops in northern Syria for now because Islamic State militants have not been wiped out, contrary to the U.S. view, and has started talks with the United States on the conditions and calendar of its withdrawal, officials said.
France is a leading member of the U.S.-led coalition fighting militants in Syria and Iraq and has special forces based in the north of the country, deployed alongside Kurdish and Arab forces, and carries out air strikes against the group.
A French presidency source told reporters members of the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S. partner in the area, would be in Paris on Friday to hold talks with officials over the move.
Read more ....
Update #1: France staying in Syria to fight ISIS, surprised by Trump decision (The Hill)
Update #2: France to stay in Syria after US troops ordered home: Minister (AFP)
WNU Editor: The French are not the only ones who are worried on what may happen in Syria with the U.S. withdrawal .... US planned withdrawal from Syria worries Western allies (AFP).
4 comments:
So all 5 French soldiers will remain?
Haha, yes. And of course they are worried, now they might have to actually do everything that the US has done so far (which they certainly does not have the resources to do).
Easy to mock them,some of the best combat troops today.
Fazman,
I don't mock the French at all. Quite the contrary. I take them quite seriously. After all their leader did threaten to attack us. We need to be prepared.
As the US isn't going to attack France or western Europe, the only American action to "defend" against would be the American response to the attack.
With that said Hans is likely correct. From what I've seen, I don't see how they have the resources to effectively carry out an extended Syria mission and operating without the cover of a major power seems problematic for them at best.
Also, with the "yellow vest" uprising I think they've got bigger issues to deal with. It seems that an adjustment in priorities should be in order.
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